Carole Austin Gopsill (1953-2020)

FARMINGTON – Carole Austin Gopsill enjoyed every second of her life. Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt, she died in the comfort of her home with her loving family by her side, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020.

Born on May 2, 1953, Carole grew up in Bingham, Maine. Carole was the second oldest in a family of seven children. She attended and graduated from Upper Kennebec Valley Memorial High School where sports and school government were especially important to her. This set the stage for a lifelong love of sports and community involvement.

After high school she graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a bachelors and a masters degree in education. Before graduating from UMaine she started teaching English at Skowhegan Junior High and continued teaching there for her entire career, 38 years, retiring to take care of her beloved husband Tom.

Carole was blessed with many dear friends in her life. A few she met during her teaching tenure in Skowhegan, Betty Pratt, Toni Jo Blaisdell, Bonnie Chamberlin and Anne Mallett to name a few.

When she started teaching at Skowhegan she also coached all of the girls sports and was athletic director for several years. After that she became a basketball official refereeing many junior high and high school basketball games, often with her friend Don Holmstrom. She also had several great friends from Farmington including Anita and Gary Hedstrom, Chummy Bean, Roz Kerr and Bob and Kate Bean. Brian Atwood was also a special friend and although they did not share many years they shared many happy times. Her life was enriched by knowing them all.

Carole had a very happy and content life with her family. Her happiest days were when the boys, Merrell and Tommy were in high school. “What’s for supper?” were the first words out of their mouths when they got home. Carole especially liked watching the boys participate in their activities. School music concerts were a favorite, from learning twinkle, twinkle on the school’s violins to concerts with the full high school band and chorus. She loved Mt. Blue athletics, any and all sporting events, but especially ski racing and the Maine High School basketball tourney.

Carole had many interests, a few of which enriched the tapestry of her entire life. She was a communicant of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and an active member of the Altar Guild. Black labs were always a part of the family. Gardening was a joy to Carole, both flower and vegetable and she always had most excellent gardens. She loved to birdwatch and faithfully kept her birdfeeders full. She played piano with fervor and enjoyed the two pianos her husband bought for her. She read voraciously (mostly historical non-fiction). She reveled in her grandchildren and dearly hoped that her grandchildren would share some if not all of these interests.

There were many gatherings of extended family at camps in Embden and Boothbay. These included (but were not limited to) her loving and beloved sisters and spouses, Beth and Paul Chamberlin, Rachael and Dick LaCasse, Noel and Jonathan Taylor (and Austin) and Mary and Gus Thomas and also in the mix were Patrick and Mark Chamberlin and their families. These events often ended with Carole taking a swim and a boat ride with cold beverage which she thoroughly enjoyed.

Carole was predeceased by: beloved husband, Tom M. Gopsill; mother, Ruth Q. Austin; father, Bernard H. Austin Sr.; sister Ruth Emily Austin; and brother Bernard H. Austin Jr.

She is survived by: son, Merrell D. Gopsill, wife Sara and their children Jack, Katherine and Elizabeth of Bellevue WA; son, Thomas M. Gopsill VIII, wife Ashley and their children Thomas and Bryce of Farmington, ME; sister-in-law, Jeryl G. Torick of Lake Stevens, WA; numerous nieces and nephews. Carole greatly appreciated the care she received from her medical professionals , particularly Dr. Auger and Dr. Dohner and their respective teams.

Relatives and friends are invited to call Tuesday from 5-7 pm at the Wiles Remembrance Center: Adams~McFarlane Chapel, 137 Farmington Falls Road, where Covid-19 guidelines will be observed by the use of masks, social distancing, and no more than 50 people at any point in time. A private Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Farmington with Father Paul Dumais as celebrant. Interment will be at the Union Cemetery in Moscow. A celebration of life to follow this later next summer. The family suggests that those who desire, consider memorial gifts in Carole’s memory to the Titcomb Ski Educational Foundation, PO Box 43, Farmington, ME 04938. Memories may be shared in her Book of Memories at www.wilesrc.com.